HC Deb 10 April 2002 vol 383 cc307-9W
Peter Bradley

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, (1) pursuant to her answer of 25 February 2002,Official Report, columns 709–10W, what advice she has received from the (a)National Audit Office and (b)other authoritative sources about the concerns raised by the David James/Berwin Leighton report about the relationship between Wembley National Stadium Ltd and Multiplex; and if these concerns have been satisfactorily addressed; [45712]

(2) pursuant to her answer of 25 February 2002, Official Report, columns 709–10W, when the National Audit Office was notified that it will receive a copy of the David James/Berwin Leighton report; and when she expects to receive its advice. [45711]

Tessa Jowell

[holding answer 25 March 2002]:As I made clear to the House on 19 December, (Official Report, column 292), as soon as I received a copy of the David James/Berwin Leighton Paisner Report on procurement processes relating to the National Stadium project I asked the Football Association and Wembley National Stadium Ltd. to make a copy available to the National Audit Office who received it on 18 December. While the National Audit Office has no role in the decision making process, it gave initial advice to my Department on the report that same day. Subsequently the NAO has also given my officials advice more generally on corporate governance and value for money methodologies and criteria.

As I explained to the House on 19 December, it was because of the concerns raised in the David James/Berwin Leighton Paisner Report that I asked the Football Association and Wembley National Stadium Ltd. to commission an independent value-for-money assessment of the proposed contracts and to ensure that corporate governance and procurement arrangements from now on represent best practice. Cyril Sweett Ltd. are carrying out that study and a copy of their terms of reference were placed in the House Library on 12 March. The Government will determine whether or not the Cyril Sweett Ltd. Report and the Football Association and Wembley National Stadium Ltd's work on corporate governance, procurement and other issues satisfies the conditions I set out on 19 December in the light of advice received from Sport England, Patrick Carter's review team and from within Government.

Peter Bradley

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, pursuant to her statement of 19 December 2001,Official Report, columns 291–93, if she will publish the terms of reference for the final report by Patrick Carter into the review of an English national football stadium; and whether they include an assessment as to the achievement of Government value for money and procurement standards and associated accounting issues. [46254]

Tessa Jowell

The terms of reference for Patrick Carter's remain those which I set out in my reply to my hon. Friend the Member for West Lancashire (Mr. Pickthall) on 25 June 2001,Official Report, column 37W namely: In the light of the FA's announcement of 1 May 2001 about the project to develop a new English National Stadium at Wembley for Football and Rugby League, to examine if the project can be funded and managed at Wembley or if that proved impractical, at another location in England.

I published the Review Team's interim report on 19 December and I intend to publish the Review Team's final report when it is completed in due course.

Rob Marris

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, pursuant to her oral statement of 19 December 2001,Official Report, columns 291–93, on the National Stadium, what assessment she has made of (a)the corporate governance changes made to the WNSL Board and (b)whether the present management arrangements can deliver the project on time and within a procedure acceptable to the public sector. [46343]

Tessa Jowell

As I set out on 19 December the Government's conditions for support of the Football Association's National Stadium project includes the requirement for changes to corporate governance to produce a management structure capable of delivering a complex project within procedures acceptable to the public sector. The Football Association and Wembley National Stadium Ltd. are working to meet the Government's conditions. I expect the FA's work to be completed in April. The Government will determine whether or not that work satisfies the conditions I set out on 19 December in the light of advice received from Sport England, Patrick Carter's review team and from within Government.

Mr. Dennis Turner

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, pursuant to her statement of 19 December 2001,Official Report, columns 291–94, if she plans to publish the Carter report into the English National Stadium and her final decision on whether to support the National Stadium at Wembley on 30 April. [46188]

Tessa Jowell

The Football Association and Wembley National Stadium Ltd are working with a lead bank on financing the National Stadium project and undertaking the necessary work to fulfil the Government's conditions. I expect the FA's work to be completed in April. The Government will determine whether or not that work satisfies the conditions I set out on 19 December in the light of advice received from Sport England, Patrick Carter's review team and from within Government. It is my intention that Patrick Carter's final report be published. However, in line with the convention on announcements during local elections, I will not be making any statement until after 2 May 2002.

Question Provision
(a)Responsibility in religious programme content BSC: Code on Standards (Section 31)
ITC: Broadcasting Act 1990: Section 6 (1) (d) and ITC Programme Code (Section 7)
BBC: BBC Producers' Guidelines (Chapter 6: Section 9)
RAu: Programme Code Rule 7
(b)Exploitation of audience susceptibilities BSC: Code on Standards (Section 17)
ITC: Broadcasting Act 1990: Section 6 (1) (d) (i) and ITC Programme Code (Section 7.7)
BBC: BBC Producers' Guidelines (Chapter 6, especially sections 1,2,3 and 6)
RAu: Broadcasting Act 1990: Section 90 (2)(c) and Programme Code Rule 7.1
(c)Abuse/incitement to hatred BSC: Code on Standards (Sections 36–43)
ITC: Broadcasting Act 1990: Section 6 (1) (d) (ii) and ITC Programme Code (Sections 7.2 and 7.6)
BBC: BBC Producers' Guidelines (Chapter 37: Section 9 and Chapter 9: Sections 1 and 4.2)
RAu: Broadcasting Act 1990, Section 90 (2) (c); Programme Code Rule 7.1 and Programme Code Rule 7.2
(d)Declaration of identity of religious bodies involved in programmes BSC: Code on Fairness and Privacy (Section 6)
ITC: Broadcasting Act 1990: Section 6 (1) (d) and ITC Programme Code (Section 7.4)
BBC: BBC Producers' Guidelines (Chapter 24: Section 10)
RAu: Programme Code Rule 7.3
(e)Accuracy and fairness BSC: Code on Fairness and Privacy (Sections 2–13)
ITC: Broadcasting Act 1990: Section 6 (1) (c) and ITC Programme Code (Section 7.2)
BBC: BBC Producers' Guidelines (Chapter 2: Part Two and Chapter 3)
RAu: Programme Code Rule 7.4
(f)Recognition of other religions BSC: Code on Standards (Section 31)
ITC: Broadcasting Act 1990: Section 6 (1) (d) (ii) and ITC Programme Code (Section 7.2)
BBC: BBC Producers' Guidelines (Chapter 6: Section 9)
RAu: Broadcasting Act 1990: Section 90(2)(c) and Programme Code Rule 7.2
(g)Appeals and donations BSC: Code on Standards (Section 13)
ITC: Broadcasting Act 1990: Sections 6 (1) (d) (i) and 7 (1) (b) and ITC Programme Code (Sections 6 and 7.5)
BBC: BBC Producers' Guidelines (Chapter 30: Section 4)
RAu: Broadcasting Act 1990 Section 2 (c) (i) and Programme Code Rule 7.7 and Programme Code Rule 6
(h)Recruitment BSC: Code on Standards (Section 13)
ITC: Broadcasting Act 1990: Section 6 (1) (d) and ITC Programme Code (Section 7.6)
BBC: Not applicable
RAu: Programme Code Rule 7.6
(i)Claims and substantiation BSC: Code on Fairness and Privacy (Sections 7–10)
ITC: Broadcasting Act 1990: Section 6 (1) (d) and ITC Programme Code (Section 7.8)
BBC: BBC Producers' Guidelines (Chapter 2)
RAu: Programme Code Rule 7.9
(j)Blasphemy and obscenity BSC: Blasphemy—Code on Standards (Section 31)
Obscenity—Code on Standards (Section 82)
ITC: Blasphemy—Broadcasting Act 1990: Section 6 (1) (a) and (d) (ii) & ITC Programme Code (Sections 1.5 and 1.8)
Obscenity—Broadcasting Act 1990: Section 6 (1) (a) and ITC Programme Code (Sections 1.5 and 1.6)
BBC: BBC Producers' Guidelines (Chapter 6: Sections 9 and 10 and Chapter 37: Section 7)
RAu: Programme Code Rule 7.2
(k)Unacceptable organisations and practices BSC: Code on Standards (Sections 34 and 45–47)
ITC: Broadcasting Act 1990: Section 6 (1) (a) and ITC Programme Code (Section 5)
BBC: BBC Producers' Guidelines (Chapters 8, 15 and 18)
RAu: Programme Code Rule 7.5